Gas-regulator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. GORDGN.

GAS REGULATOR.

No. 461,829. Patentedl Oct. 27, 1891.

ATTUH/VEY.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. GORDON.

GAS REGULATOR.

(No Model.)

/N VE N T05 Bgm im OHNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS GORDON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 461,829, dated October2'7, 1891..

Application filed August 26, 1890. Serial No. 363,093. (No model.)

erence being had to the accompanying draw-v ings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to gas or fluid governors applicable to regulatingthe flow of a cur- V rent through the saine to the supply-pipe of a Alally attached to a gas-lamp fixture.

lamp or other iixture, and has for its object the accomplishment ofseveral purposes-viz., the formation of the external supporting shell orframe of such shape and parts that while it may be secured at its inletand outlet ends, respectively, to the inlet and exit supplypipes,whether for ascending` or descending currents or for horizontalsupply-pipes, all the working parts of the regulator` may be removed forcleaning or repairs without loosening but a single joint-and also in theinternal construction of the governor, whereby the flow of gas is alwaysdownward upon the float, which is of such form as to constitute apassage way in itself, is balanced by gas-pressure upon its lowersurface, and is guided vertically-by contact-of its own dependinggas-tube against the inner case or shell, whereby a larger passage-wayis secured, and consequently a greater capacity for any given size ofregulator; and for these purposes my invention consists, first, in theconstruction of the external shell or frame, and,

secondly, of the internal working parts of the regulator, as hereinafterfully described.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is avertical sectional view of one form of my improved regulator, with theadditional sketches above and below it, respectively, to show how itwould be usu- Fig. 2 is a like vertical sectional view of a modificationthereof in which the gas enters at the base of the regulator and has itsexit at the top. Fig. 3 is also a vertical sectional View of anotherarrangement of the several parts in which theinlet and outlet are in thesame horizontal plane; and Fig. 4t is a vertical sectional viewsubstantially similar to Fig. l,

but without the additionalsupplementalarm, and intended to show moreparticularly the addition of the spring upon the periphery of the shellwhich contains the float.

In gas or fluid regulators of this class it has been the usual practiceheretofore to construct a complete regulator and place it within a yokeor clamp, securing it therein by means of a movable anged ftube orcollar, said collar being in some cases made movable within the yoke andin other cases made movable upon the regulator and in most casesinvolving four or at least several joints, all of which require thatcare should be exercised to prevent leakage -at the several joints. Toovercome this objection is the Object of the first part of my invention,thedesign of which is to construct the external shell of the regulatorin such manner that it may be fitted directly to the inlet and outletsupplypipes without the intervention of any supporting-yoke and in suolimanner that it need not be afterward disturbed at either the inlet oroutlet joints, while at the saine time all the working'parts of theregulator may be removed forcleaning Or repair and while it is in placeupon the supply-pipes by the unsorewing of a single joint.y

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l, A below of the regulator, and A is asupplemental arm terminating in an inlet-entrance B, said supplementalarm A being hollowedout tov-Q i Sis forni an inlet gas-passage K2. Anadditional supplemental arm A3, similar to andiopposite to the first,may be addedv for symmetry. yof

cap A2, provided with an internal projection' D', which when the cap isscrewed down in place abuts against the periphery of the-inner shell Tto hold it in place in the external casing of the regulator. This shellis constructed in the shape of two hollow cylinders T and G, ofdifferent diameters, the former connected at its base to an intermediateannular plate S, which is provided with a central recess and an annularseries of gas-apertures M. The lower hollow cylinder G is fitted at itstop within this central recess. Vithin IOO 8o the line a a is theexternal shell or case this inner shell is fitted loosely a floatconsisting of an annular plate I, circularly recessed at its center andhaving a depending hollow cylindrical tube J itted thereto at itsperiphery in the central recess of the ioatplate I. The closing-cap A2is so shaped either in the casting, as at H, Fig. l, or bythe additionof a screw, as at H, Figs. 2, 3, and al, that it shall form a valve-seatwith the top of the float, and thereby closing the entrance to thehollow depending tube .I of the float. The design of this part of myinvention is to avoid the use of the usual ioat-disk constructed with acentral guide-rod or hollow post upon which the tloat moves vertically,as that form of iioat is objectionable in that the hollow centralpostoccupies space which in my device is made available as a passageway,by providing the iioat with a depending tube and guiding thelatterexternally by contact of its outer periphery with the interior of theinner shell, thus making the hollow depending tube of the float the exitgasway of the regulator, by means of which construction a greatercapacity is secured in any given size of regulator.

The essential features of the external shell of my improved regulator(shown in the several' figures of the drawings) are a passageway K2leading from the inlet-entrance B to a passage-way K, the communicationbetween which two passage-ways is a valveopen-ing capable of beingclosed more or less byaregulating-screwF; also,another passageway K,open-at the top and leading also from said initial passage-way K2, and ainal passage-way A4, leading to the outlet C of the regulator In caseitis desired to attach my regulator to an ascending current instead of adescendingorhorizontal current it will be necessary toextend theoutlet-passage A1 by means of a curved hollow arm A5, as shown in Fig.2. lVithin this external shell A of the regulator is placed the internalshell T, S, and G, so arranged within the recess of the outer shell thatit is capable of being lifted entirely out therefrom. The Iioat also isin like manner capable ot being lifted out of the inner shell in bothcases without the use of tools. lVithin the said inner shell is fittedloosely the tioat I, with its depending tube J passing down into thecylindrical leg G of the inner shell. The central openingof this floatforms a valveseat with the projection I-I (see Fig. l) of the cap A2 orwith the screw II (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4) of the cap A2. In Fig. 4 isshown a spring D, which takes the place of the projection D ot' Fig. lon the interior of the cap A2 and serves to hold the inner shell orfloat-chamber in position. The parts being put together as described,the closing-cap A2 is screwed in place on the outer shell. It* isobvious from this description that when the regulator needs to becleaned or repaired it will be unnecessary to remove it from itssupply-pipes at B and C, but merely to unscrew the cap A2 and lift outthe inner shell T S Gr, with the iioat I J and after cleaning orrepairing replace them in the manner described, and thus a single jointonly need be opened for the purpose.

The operation of the device is as follows: The gas or other iiuid entersat the inlet B and flows unrestricted through the passages K2 and K, andthence through the perforations M in the horizontal annular plate S ofthe inner shell, there impinging upon the under surface of the disk I ofthe float. The

Vpressure raises the disk I and iits depending tube .I until the mouthof the tube is brought into close proximity with the valve seat formedupon the screw or projection I-I. It' the depending tube .I of the iioatis iitt-ed to move gas-tight in the leg Got the inner shell and thepassage-way K is fully closed by the regulating-screw F, no gas willpass through the regulator. In some cases the iioat-cylinder may bequite loosely fitted; but when it is desired to have as wide a range ofadj ustment as may be possible at the valve of the adjusting-screw F itshould be iitted as neatly as is compatible with the free movement otthe float upon slight changes ot' pressure. Then a volume of gas orfluid greater or less in amount is required, the passage K is opened bya movement of the adjustment-screw F. A volume of gas is thus allowed topass through the passage-way K over thetop ofthe inner shell anddownward upon the top of the disk I of the iioat, which will have theeffect to depress the disk I, allowing the gas to pass down through thedepending tube I to'passage-way A4 and through the outlet C of theregulator, and this depression of the disk will continue until anequilibrium is established between the pressures above and below saiddisk, after which the volume ot fluid or gas delivered at the outlet Cof the regulator will remain the saine under all conditions of pressureat the inlet of the regulator in excess of the pressure required toovercome the inertia of the float.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isj l. In a gas-regulator, the combination,with an external shell or casing open at the top and having anoutlet-passage communicating directly with the open end of a hollowreciprocating gas-valve and a main inlet -passage divided into two inletpassage-ways by means of au adjustable regulating-screw, one of saidinlets leading to achamber in which said gasvalve is operated from belowand the other ot said inlets leading to a chamber in which saidgas-valve is operated from above, of an inner shell forming aioat-chamber and composed of two chambers of unequal diameter united byan intermediate annular plate provided with perforations communicatingwith the main inlet-passage,a reciprocating gas-valve consisting of anannular disk provided with a central hollow depending -tube adapted toreciprocate within said inner shell or casing,

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and a screw-cap or cover closing the top of said external shell orcasing and provided on its inner surface with a valve projection adaptedto close the port of the reciprocating valve when brought in contacttherewith, said parts being constructed and combined substantially asset forth.

2.' In a gas-regulator, the combination, with an external shell orcasing provided with inlet and outlet passages and Open at the top, of aremovable cap adapted to close said opening, an inner shell or casingconsisting of two open chambers of unequal diameter connected by anintermediate perforated annular plate and forming a float-chamber andpartition between the inlet and outlet passages in the regulator, areciprocating gas-valve consisting of a disk secured to a hollow spindleor tube, the latter forming a gas-passage comm unicating directly withthe outlet-passage of the regulator, and an adjusting-screw acting as avalve to open more or less apassage-way leading from the inlet-chamberto the top of the inner shell oroat-chalnber, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a regulator, the combination,with an external shell provided withmain inlet and outlet passages and with an opening through which toinsert and remove at pleasure the contained mechanism, ot' a removablecap adapted to close said opening, a removable inner shell or casingforminga iOat-chamber and partition between the inlet and outletpassages of the main casing, and a removable vertically-reciprocatingvalve operating therein, consistingof a disk and a tube, the latterleading directly downward from the inner casing or iioat-chalnber to themain Ontlet-passage of the regulator,.whereby said inner shell and itscontained valve may be removed for cleaning, tbc., by removing the saidcap of the external shell and without disturbing or disconnecting theinlet and outletconnections to the regulator, substantially asdescribed. l

4t. In a gas-regulator, the combination, with an external shell providedwith inlet and Outlet passage-ways and an open top, of a removablescrew-cap A2, adapted to close said top, an inner casing or shellconstructed of two cylinders T G, of diierent diameters, with anintermediate annular plate S between them, and providedwithgas-apertures M, a verticallyreciprocating gas-valve consisting of thedisk I, with a depending cylindrical tube J communicating directly withthe outlet passage-way of the regulator, and an adjustingscrew F,adapted to more 'or less divide the inlet-passage into two passagesleading to the top and bottom, respectively, of the reciprocatinggas-valve,.substantially as described.

5. In a gas-regulator, the combination, with an external shell open atthe top and closed by a removable screw-cap, of a removable inner shellor iioat-chamber containing a reciprocating gas-valve provided with acentral opening communicating directly with the out-- let passage-way ofthe regulator, said external shell or casing having an inletpassage vstructed as described and provided with gas-r apertures M and forming aiioat-chamber and partition between the inlet and outlet passages Of themain shell or casing, and a reciprocating gas-valve consisting of thedisk I, provided with a central depending tube J, adapted to move and beguided within said internal wall G by contact of its exterior surfacestherewith, said reciprocating valve forming the sole means ot' exit tothe outlet-passage'of the regulator, substantially as de` scribed.

7. In a gas-regulator, and in combination with an external shell havinga main inletpassage K2 and a second passage K', an inner shell or casingconstructed as described and forming a float-chamber and a partitionbetween the inlet and outlet passages of the main casing, areciprocating gas-valve consistin g of an annular dislc and dependingcylinder moving vertically in said inner casing and having a centralopening through which the gas may iiow in a downward direction, and anadjusting-screw F, adapted to more or less restrict the flow of gas tosaid passageway K', whereby an unrestricted tlow of gas is delivered tothe lower surface ot' Ysaid reciprocating valve, while a restricted andadjustable volume thereof is delivered to the upper surface of saidvalve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 31st dayof July, A. D. 1890.

Witnesses: s

S. P. CAMPBELL, W. C. WOOD, Jr.

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